Best of Bowie

Best of Bowie
Compilation album by David Bowie
Publication (s)	October 22, 2002
Label (s)	EMI
Format (s)	CD, 2CD, DVD
chronology Heathen (2002) Best of Bowie Reality (2003)

Best of Bowie is a compilation by the British musician David Bowie . It was published by EMI in October 2002 .

Creation and publication

Shortly after the release of David Bowie's 22nd studio album, Heathen , a best-of compilation, coordinated by Nigel Reeve, Jo Brooks and Henry Wrenn-Meleck, came out with pieces from the early days of Bowie's career, more precisely since his second self-titled album in 1969 . Cooperation with other artists and film soundtracks were also taken into account. The compilation was mastered by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios . Except for Under Pressure , all tracks were remastered in 1999 or 2002.

Best of Bowie appeared with various playlists for Great Britain, the United States and Canada, Australia, New Zealand and some European, South American and Asian countries. For example, the compilation included two CDs in Great Britain, but only one CD in Germany / Austria / Switzerland. A DVD version with music videos and live recordings was also available.

UK playlist

CD 1

1. Space Oddity - 5:12 (by David Bowie (Space Oddity) , 1969)
2. The Man Who Sold the World - 3:56 (from The Man Who Sold the World , 1970)
3. Oh! You Pretty Things - 3:11 (from Hunky Dory , 1971)
4. Changes - 3:33 (from Hunky Dory , 1971)
5. Life on Mars? - 3:49 (from Hunky Dory , 1971)
6. Starman - 4:10 (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars , 1972)
7. Ziggy Stardust - 3:12 (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars , 1972)
8. Suffragette City - 3:24 (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars , 1972)
9. John, I'm Only Dancing - 2:45 (Single, 1972)
10. The Jean Genie - 4:05 (by Aladdin Sane , 1973)
11. Drive-In Saturday - 4:29 (by Aladdin Sane , 1973)
12. Sorrow - 2:53 (from Pinups , 1973)
13. Diamond Dogs - 6:04 (from Diamond Dogs , 1974)
14. Rebel Rebel - 4:28 (from Diamond Dogs , 1974)
15. Young Americans (single version) - 3:13 (from Young Americans , 1975)
16. Fame - 4:14 (from Young Americans , 1975)
17. Golden Years (single version) - 3:27 (from Station to Station , 1976)
18. TVC15 - 5:30 (from station to station , 1976)
19. Wild Is the Wind - 5:58 (from Station to Station , 1976)

CD 2

1. Sound and Vision - 3:03 (from Low , 1977)
2. “Heroes” (single version) - 3:35 (from “Heroes” , 1977)
3. Boys Keep Swinging - 3:16 (from Lodger , 1979)
4. Under Pressure - 3:56 (from Queens Hot Space , 1982)
5. Ashes to Ashes (single version) - 3:35 (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) , 1980)
6. Fashion (single version) - 3:25 (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) , 1980)
7. Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (single version) - 3:32 (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) , 1980)
8. Let's Dance (single version) - 4:08 (from Let's Dance , 1983)
9. China Girl (single version) - 4:15 (from Let's Dance , 1983)
10. Modern Love (single version) - 3:56 (from Let's Dance , 1983)
11. Blue Jean - 3:10 (by Tonight , 1984)
12. This Is Not America - 3:51 (from the soundtrack for The Falcon and the Snowman , 1985)
13. Loving the Alien (single version) - 4:43 (by Tonight , 1984)
14. Dancing in the Street - 3:20 (with Mick Jagger , 1985)
15. Absolute Beginners (single version) - 5:37 (from the soundtrack to Absolute Beginners - Junge Helden , 1986)
16. Jump They Say (radio edit) - 3:52 (from Black Tie White Noise , 1993)
17. Hello Spaceboy ( Pet Shop Boys remix) - 4:25 (Original on Outside , 1995)
18. Little Wonder (edit) - 3:41 (from Earthling , 1997)
19. I'm Afraid of Americans (V1, radio edit) - 4:30 (Original on Earthling , 1997)
20. Slow Burn (radio edit) - 3:55 (by Heathen , 2002)

Title list Germany / Austria / Switzerland

1. Let's Dance - 4:08
2. Ashes to Ashes - 3:35
3. Heroes - 3:40
4. Fame '90 (Gass mix) - 3:36 (Original on Young Americans , 1975)
5. Young Americans - 3:13
6. Fashion - 3:25
7. Ziggy Stardust - 3:12
8. Space Oddity - 5:12
9. When the Wind Blows - 3:32 (from the soundtrack to When the Wind Blows , 1986)
10. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - 4:08 (from the soundtrack to Cat People , 1982)
11. Sound and Vision - 3:03
12. Loving the Alien - 4:43
13. Blue Jean - 3:10
14. China Girl - 4:15
15. Under Pressure - 3:56
16. Dancing in the Street - 3:20
17. Absolute Beginners - 5:37
18. This Is Not America - 3:51
19. Thursday's Child - 4:25 (from Hours… , 1999)
20. Slow Burn - 3:55

Other titles

A total of 63 different pieces in different editions were used worldwide. Other titles than those mentioned above were included:

• from Mott the Hooples All the Young Dudes (1972): All the Young Dudes
• from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972): Moonage Daydream , Lady Stardust , Rock'n'Roll Suicide
• by Aladdin Sane (1973): Panic in Detroit
• by Diamond Dogs (1974): 1984
• by Young Americans (1975): Fame
• von Lodger (1979): DJ
• von Tonight (1984): Tonight
• from the soundtrack to Die Reise ins Labyrinth (1986): Magic Dance , Underground
• From Never Let Me Down (1987): Day-In Day-Out , Time Will Crawl , Never Let Me Down
• from Tin Machines self-titled debut album (1989): Under the God
• by Outside (1995): The Hearts Filthy Lesson
• with David Guetta : Just for One Day (Heroes)
• with Moodswings : Nite Flights

reception

As is often the case with best of compilations, critics of Best of Bowie didn't always agree. Joachim Gauger from laut.de suspected a marketing strategy behind the different versions for different countries, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic described it as a “nightmare for the collector”. While Chris Jones from BBC Music praised the variety of the pieces and Erlewine the logical sequence of the big hits, Gauger criticized the lack of well-known songs and the selection of the German version of “Heroes” on the German edition.

Sales figures and awards

Country / Region	Award	Sales
Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales)
Australia (ARIA)	2 × platinum	140,000
Europe (IFPI)	2 × platinum	2,000,000
Finland (IFPI)	gold	(15,006)
Italy (FIMI)	platinum	(80,000)
New Zealand (RMNZ)	3 × platinum	45,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	4 × platinum	(1,200,000)
United States (RIAA)	platinum	1,000,000
All in all	1 × gold 13 × platinum	3,185,000

Main article: David Bowie / Music Sales Awards

Web links

• Best of Bowie at Allmusic (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Best Of Bowie , Illustrated db Discography , accessed July 30, 2013.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Joachim Gauger: “Best Of Bowie” by David Bowie , laut.de , accessed on July 30, 2013.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Stephen Thomas Erlewine: Best of Bowie at Allmusic (English), accessed on July 30, 2013.
4. ↑ Chris Jones: David Bowie - Best Of , BBC Music , accessed July 30, 2013.